Show RSS Feed Icon in each forum

So I wanted to add an image link to each forum for its unique RSS feed. This would allow people to subscribe to their favorite forums with their favorite News Reader instead of email. It would always be up to date and accurate.

There are three steps to doing this.

First, I decided I needed a small plugin to determine if RSS was turned on within the forumdisplay template. Go to your plugin manager and add the following code to the "forumdisplay_start" plugin.

PHP Code:

if ($vbulletin->options['externalrss'])
{
   $show['rss'] = true;
} 


Next we will be editing the forumdisplay template itself.

Find:

<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center" style="border-bottom-width:0px">
<tr>
<td class="tcat" width="100%">$vbphrase[threads_in_forum]<span class="normal"> : $foruminfo[title]</span></td>
<td class="vbmenu_control" id="forumtools" nowrap="nowrap"><a href="$show[nojs_link]#goto_forumtools" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[forum_tools]</a> <script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("forumtools"); </script></td>
    <if condition="$show['forumsearch']">
<td class="vbmenu_control" id="forumsearch" nowrap="nowrap"><a href="$show[nojs_link]#goto_forumsearch" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[search_this_forum]</a> <script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("forumsearch"); </script></td>
    </if>
</tr>
</table>

And replace with:

<table class="tborder" cellpadding="$stylevar[cellpadding]" cellspacing="$stylevar[cellspacing]" border="0" width="100%" align="center" style="border-bottom-width:0px">
<tr>
<td class="tcat" width="100%">$vbphrase[threads_in_forum]<span class="normal"> : $foruminfo[title]</span></td>
<td class="vbmenu_control" id="forumtools" nowrap="nowrap"><a href="$show[nojs_link]#goto_forumtools" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[forum_tools]</a> <script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("forumtools"); </script></td>
    <if condition="$show['forumsearch']">
<td class="vbmenu_control" id="forumsearch" nowrap="nowrap"><a href="$show[nojs_link]#goto_forumsearch" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[search_this_forum]</a> <script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("forumsearch"); </script></td>
    </if>
    <if condition="$show['rss']">
<td class="tcat"><a href="external.php?type=rss2&forumids=$foruminfo[forumid]"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/feed_icon.png" height="14" width="14" alt="Feed Icon" title="Subscribe to $foruminfo[title]'s RSS Feed"></a></td>
    </if>
    </tr>
</table>

Finally the third step is to upload the attached image to represent your feed. If your site isn't set up to allow IE to view transparent backgrounds in PNG images, you will probably want to convert the image to a GIF format matted to your background.

Distibuted under the "Wayne License". You may modify to suit your needs, No Attribution Necessary, Redistribution allowed on sites which can verify legitimate vBulletin License Holders only.

[Rik Brown]

I thought I'd installed this properly as most of it was just cutting and pasting. However, nothing looks any different in my forums. The external data provider settings show "yes" (enabled).

I'm wondering if its a matter of where the .png file is placed. I noted the following in the template code:

<img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/feed_icon.png" .....

Under my root forum directory is /images and about 15 subdirectories. Once is /misc (root/images/misc). I tried placing the .png file there as well as in its parent. Still no changes to the forums.

What is the proper directory for the .png file. Also, is there anything else I might be missing (the instructions were pretty clear).

Thanks. -- Rik

[hnjco]

It was working fine for me on 3.5.5 but now i upgrade to 3.6.1 and not working anymore.. any idea?

[Spikeman]

Originally Posted by hnjco

It was working fine for me on 3.5.5 but now i upgrade to 3.6.1 and not working anymore.. any idea?

Did you reapply the hack again after you upgraded? Only a thought

[hnjco]

Originally Posted by Spikeman

Did you reapply the hack again after you upgraded? Only a thought

yes i did but still not working:hurt:

[hnjco]

any way for working on 3.6.1?

[EvilHawk]

Yes don't install the plugin, use only the template edit and change the if statement to <if condition="$vboptions['externalrss']"> ....

[hnjco]

Originally Posted by EvilHawk

Yes don't install the plugin, use only the template edit and change the if statement to <if condition="$vboptions['externalrss']"> ....

I did this and now i ahve same problem like other guys on page 3-4.
Only shows up on the category, but not on the actual forums.

[EvilHawk]

Originally Posted by hnjco

I did this and now i ahve same problem like other guys on page 3-4.
Only shows up on the category, but not on the actual forums.

open forumdisplay template

Find:

   <if condition="$show['forumsearch']">
<td class="vbmenu_control" id="forumsearch" nowrap="nowrap"><a href="$show[nojs_link]#goto_forumsearch" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[search_this_forum]</a> <script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("forumsearch"); </script></td>
    </if>

add below it :

    <if condition="$vboptions['externalrss']">
<td class="tcat"><a href="external.php?type=rss2&forumids=$foruminfo[forumid]"><img class="inlineimg" src="$stylevar[imgdir_misc]/feed_icon.png" height="14" width="14" alt="Feed Icon" title="Subscribe to $foruminfo[title]'s RSS Feed" border="0" /></a></td>
    </if>

it works fine for me ...

[hnjco]

Originally Posted by EvilHawk

open forumdisplay template

it works fine for me ...

Well lucky you if its working for you
atleast not for me

I don't have same cade as you mention to find

Here is what i have

<if condition="$show['forumsearch']">
<td class="vbmenu_control" id="forumsearch.subforums" nowrap="nowrap"><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$foruminfo[forumid]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[search_this_forum]</a> <if condition="$show['quicksearch']"><script type="text/javascript"> vbmenu_register("forumsearch.subforums"); </script></if></td>
</if>

If i add the one you gave under this one then same problem only shows up on the category, but not on the actual forums.

[EvilHawk]

Originally Posted by hnjco

Well lucky you if its working for you
atleast not for me

I don't have same cade as you mention to find

If i add the one you gave under this one then same problem only shows up on the category, but not on the actual forums.

Well unlucky for you, as you didn't look further down at the tempalte code ...